The present invention relates to an anchoring device for retaining adjacent boards in precision spaced alignment, being particularly suitable for use with outdoor platform deck construction.
The background information discussed below is presented to better illustrate the novelty and usefulness of the present invention. This background information is not admitted prior art.
Outdoor spaced board platforms, generally referred to as decks, have become popular additions to homes, offices, restaurants, and the like. They generally comprise a plurality of elongate, flat laid, closely spaced boards, connected to and supported on their bottom surfaces by framing using spaced joists, stringers, beams, and the like to form a secure floor. Until recently, the boards were generally cut from natural wood, but they have been increasing manufactured from various compositions of wood and/or other cellulosic materials with various resins, and even plastics and various metals. The top surface of the boards is generally referred to as the face side of the board and the facing elongate sides of adjacent flat laid boards is generally referred to as the edges of the board.
To allow for drainage of water on the decking floor, the flat laid boards are kept spaced from one another. From an aesthetic standpoint the spacing between the boards should be maintained at a consistent distance. And from a safety standpoint, the distance between adjacent floor boards should generally be minimized for safe walking and standing, especially for those wearing high heels or those walking with bare feet. At the same time, the minimum distance must not only provide for water drainage from the floor, but also for expansion, contraction swelling, or the like, of the boards without engagement of adjacent boards.
It is also generally a desirable ornamental design to attach the flat laid floor boards to framing and/or stringers unobtrusively, without visible nail or screw heads showing on the face surface of the boards, and to provide an anchoring means that resists the warping of adjacent boards, particularly warping that is a continuous problem between connection points to joists, stringers and the like.
Various fastening devices have been proposed in an attempt to provide desirable ornamental design characteristics to flat laid boards yet each have serious shortcomings which mitigate against their use.